Tag Archives: personal savior

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – Choosing the Right Path

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Matthew 16:24-27

The Father has opened a way for sinners to be forgiven and set on the path of righteousness—namely, through faith in His Son. Trusting in Jesus Christ as our personal Savior makes us members of God’s family and takes us immediately onto the narrow road, which is only for His followers.

As we journey on this heavenward highway, the Holy Spirit acts as our guide and teaches us what we need to know. Through Him, we develop the ability to look beyond the temporal to the eternal: With spiritual eyes, we will catch glimpses of the Lord’s majesty, comprehend the depth of our Savior’s love for us, and experience the invisible, powerful presence of the Spirit. We will witness the awe-inspiring transformation of ordinary, pride-filled human beings into humble, loving ambassadors for Christ. Our minds will grasp the truths of God’s Word, and we will hear Him speaking to us through it. On the broad road, none of these things are possible.

Despite such amazing blessings, we at times all wander from the Lord’s will. We might be drawn away by the glitter of material things, the temporary satisfaction of self-indulgence, or a desire to be part of the crowd. Whatever we hope to find outside of God’s plan proves illusive and temporary. Only by walking with Christ on the path of godliness will we find the security and contentment we crave.

If you are drifting in your Christian life, allowing the world’s priorities to direct your steps, then you need to turn back. Jesus calls you to deny yourself and commit to following Him alone

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – Discovering Life’s Purpose

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Charles Stanley

Ephesians 2:8-10

Those who know and follow God’s direction will experience spiritual peace, joy, and contentment. To discover our life’s purpose, the first step—which makes all the other steps possible—is to receive Jesus Christ as our personal Savior. In other words, we must be saved.

Our part in salvation is to acknowledge we are sinners—to admit to God that we’ve lived in rebellion against Him because we wanted our own way (Rom. 3:23). Professing our belief that Jesus’ death on the cross fully paid our sin debt, we ask God’s forgiveness.

Recognizing Jesus as personal Savior and Lord, we commit our life to Him (Rom. 10:9; Gal. 2:20; 1 John 1:9). Since He is now in charge, our orders and direction will come from Him. Having become part of God’s family, we have His Spirit to help us discover and carry out our Father’s plan.

God’s purpose for His children includes sanctification, stewardship, and service. Sanctification describes continual growth in holiness. The Holy Spirit, with our cooperation, will transform our character to be more like the Lord’s. Stewardship means managing—according to God’s priorities—the time, talents, and treasure He has given us. And service for the kingdom is to mark our life, as it marked the life of Jesus (Matt. 20:28). We serve our Father by obediently ministering to others.

As we each seek the Lord’s specific plan for us, we can be confident that it will include character transformation, investment of our resources for His kingdom, and ministry to others.

 

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – Sinning After Salvation

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Charles Stanley

1 John 2:1-2

How many times have you sinned since you received Jesus as your personal Savior? This is an impossible question to answer. The harsh reality is that every single person sins—yes, including Christians.

All transgression, before or after salvation, stems from the desire to have our needs met apart from God. Whenever we take matters into our own hands and operate outside of His will, we are headed down a sad, sinful road.

Faith in Christ brings many things—a new relationship with God, a new spirit, a new outlook on life—but it doesn’t eradicate all traces of our old life. We still have the same body and the same mind, which can lead to some of the same difficulties.

Why do we still sin after salvation? It is because old “programming” directs our thinking in certain patterns, which leads us into trouble. War has been declared in our lives, as our “flesh” struggles against the new life brought about by Christ. If we do not make a commitment to retrain our minds, we can expect a lifetime of trouble.

Scripture offers the remedy for this ongoing conflict: “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Rom. 12:2). That is to say, we must intentionally fill our minds with the things of God, allowing Him to realign our thoughts.

Where are your thoughts taking you today? Are you grounding your thinking in Scripture, or does your thinking simply lead you aimlessly through life? That way leads to sin. Begin now to focus your mind on the Lord.

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Charles Stanley – Sanctification

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Romans 6:17-22

The Lord has a grand plan for the life of every person, and it can be summed up in a single word: sanctification. If you are scratching your head about what that terms means, you are not alone. Many people—even some longtime Christians—do not know its definition. However, believers should see to it that they acquire that knowledge because it’s an important word, and it defines them.

In its verb form—sanctify—the term means “to make holy” or “to separate.” So when something is sanctified, it is separated from a common use to a sacred one. In the Old Testament, we are told that the Lord sanctified a number of things: He made the seventh day holy, set aside the Levite tribe as priests, and even consecrated places like the Holy of Holies in the tabernacle (Gen. 2:3; Num. 3).

The Lord still sanctifies people today. Before a person receives salvation, he is spiritually dead (Eph. 2:1-3). What’s more, Romans 5:10 tells us that before we come to faith, we’re actually enemies of God. Yet the moment someone trusts in Jesus as his personal Savior, his sins are wiped away, and he is adopted into the Lord’s family. That individual is then set apart as a child of God for a sacred purpose. This means believers are not here simply to chase after personal gain. Rather, they are to serve God and bring Him honor and glory.

As members of God’s family who are called to reflect His glory, believers are referred to as “saints.” This word shares a root with sanctification. We are referred to this way, not because we live sinless lives but because we live a life consistent with the One we represent.

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Charles Stanley – The Believer’s Destination

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John 14:1-3

The Bible is clear that those who trust in Jesus as their personal Savior will have eternal life. Furthermore, it promises that followers of God will spend eternity with Him in heaven.

The New Testament contains approxi- mately 200 references to heaven, most of which are from the teachings of Jesus Himself. Obviously, the topic was quite important to our Lord. Why, then, do we often fail to talk about it ourselves?

Sadly, one reason we ignore the subject is that we simply feel too satisfied here on earth. Maybe we think we have it pretty good, whether because of a loving family, a stable job, or a nice home. Surrounded by such comfort, it can seem hard to imagine an even better place.

Other people, however, do not have it so easy here on earth. They are the ones who most easily grasp the concept of heaven. They are the individuals who live their lives in need, nursing the belief that life beyond earth will supply all that they lack.

You see, it is rarely our desperation that makes it difficult to envision our heavenly home. Rather, our success is oftentimes the greatest obstacle to a desire for the everlasting home where we truly belong. We can become so distracted by earthly things that we grow blind to the spiritual reality of eternal life. Why don’t we think more about heaven? Very simply, it is because many of us don’t want to go yet!

What in your life might be obstructing the view of your heavenly home? Jesus has gone before us to prepare our eternal dwelling, and who would know how to fix a place to our liking better than our Creator? Don’t let anything dim your vision of the excellent future home awaiting you.

 

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Greg Laurie – The Power of Christ’s Words

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Christ’ passionate love for the world is evident in His statements from the Cross:

Statement One “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.” Luke 23:34

Do you realize that you are in need of the Father’s forgiveness?

 

Statement Two “Today you will with Me in Paradise.” Luke 23:43

Have you realized and confessed Jesus as your personal Savior?

 

Statement Three “Woman, behold your son.” John 19:26

Jesus is concerned for us and provides for all of us.

 

Statement Four “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” Matthew 27:46

Jesus was forsaken so we don’t have to be.

 

Statement Five “I thirst!” John 19:28

This personal statement reminds us that Jesus is not only God, but He also was man. Jesus identifies with our needs.

 

Statement Six “It is finished!” John 19:30

Jesus paid for our sins, and sin’s control over our lives is broken!

 

Statement Seven “Into Your hands I commit My spirit.” Luke 23:46

You can entrust your life into God’s hands.

 

How to Know God

You were designed to know God in a personal way—to have a relationship with Him, through His Son, Jesus Christ. How do you start a relationship with God?

1. Realize that you are a sinner.

No matter how good a life we try to live, we still fall miserably short of being a good person. That is because we are all sinners. The Bible says, “No one is good—not even one.” We cannot become who we are supposed to be without Jesus Christ.

2. Recognize that Jesus Christ died on the cross for you.

The Bible tells us that “God showed His great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while were still sinners.” This is the Good News, that God loves us so much that He sent His only Son to die in our place when we least deserved it.

3. Repent of your sin.

The Bible tells us, “Repent of your sins and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped away.” The word repent means to change our direction in life. Instead of running from God, we can run toward Him.

4. Receive Jesus Christ into your life.

Becoming a Christian is not merely believing some creed or going to church. It is having Christ Himself take residence in your life and heart. Jesus said, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in . . .” If you would like to have a relationship with Christ, simply pray this prayer and mean it in your heart.

“Dear Lord Jesus, I know I am a sinner. I believe You died for my sins. Right now, I turn from my sins and open the door of my heart and life. I confess You as my personal Lord and Savior. Thank You for saving me. Amen.”

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Charles Stanley – Genuine Justification

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Romans 3:23-26

Jesus’ death was central to God’s plan of salvation. Scripture tells us the Son of Man had to be lifted up and all who trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ as their personal Savior would be saved.(John 3:14-16) The cross was essential for God to accomplish His desire for us—that we would be redeemed and have a personal relationship with Him for all eternity.

Every one of us has violated God’s law, and justice requires that a penalty be paid. When we labor for the Lord and serve Him faithfully, we want Him to be just in rewarding us. But what about when we transgress against Him? We have a sin debt that must be paid, and because He is perfect and just, God cannot simply overlook offenses—atonement must be made.

In order for us to have a close personal relationship with God, there must be a way for imperfect, sin-stained man to approach the perfect, holy Creator. Therefore, the Father provided a substitute—His Son Jesus Christ—who took it upon Himself to pay our penalty. If we accept that payment on our behalf, God declares us no longer guilty, reconciling us to Himself so we can enjoy a right relationship with Him eternally (Rom. 8:6-10). There is no justification apart from the blood of Jesus Christ.

To be justified means to be declared “no longer guilty.” With His death on the cross, Jesus paid the price for our reconciliation. Through His shed blood, we are now sanctified. If we accept this priceless gift, it enables us to enjoy communion with Almighty God in this life and the next.

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Charles Stanley – Is Salvation Enough?

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Romans 14:7-12

There are many people who have trusted Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and yet continue to live in rebellion against Him. Why is it that some individuals who claim to follow the Son of God refuse to serve Him?

The simple answer is that salvation is only part of the picture. The eternal destiny of anyone who receives the Lord is sealed forever—he will go to heaven. But salvation doesn’t guarantee a godly or fruitful life here on earth.

The will of the Father is that we live under the lordship of His Son. That means we must submit to Jesus as the one in charge of our life. Daily decisions and leadership of those under our care ultimately belong in God’s hands, not our own—Christ provides us with the guidance and direction. Though we’ll sometimes make mistakes, we need to remember that God’s grace is for imperfect people.

The problem is that we often desire to give Him dominion over just certain areas of our life. For example, too many of us want Him out of our finances, out of our schedule, or out of our career. But when we are lying in a hospital bed, which of us will tell Jesus to stay out of our health? So ask yourself, Is Jesus the Lord of my life or not?

Salvation is a one-time experience, but the Christian life doesn’t stop there—the lordship of Jesus Christ is ongoing. There comes a time when every believer must recognize that God’s Son came to do more than save us. He came to be the Master of our life—for our good and His glory.